Election 2022: Candidates for Kitsap County Commissioner, District 3
Republican Josh Hinman and Democrat Katie Walters emerged from a crowded August primary to face each other in the race for the Kitsap County District 3 commissioner seat on Nov. 8. The seat will be vacated by current Commissioner Ed Wolfe at the end of the year.
While only voters in Central Kitsap got to cast a ballot in the race in August, all voters in Kitsap County will cast a vote in the race in November.
The Kitsap Sun asked the commissioner candidates to answer six questions. Their answers follow:
Josh Hinman
Age: 44
Current occupation: Executive director at newlife
Previous elected experience: First time seeking office
Party: Republican
Campaign contributions: $39,915
Q: What should the county do to address the growing number of people unable to afford shelter and living in county parks and on other public property?
A: Kitsap’s homeless population is growing rapidly, and the current strategy does not seem to be working. We need a revised plan with a renewed approach. Whether mental health, addiction, or lack of work, homelessness is the result of a myriad of reasons. National best practices, such as Housing First, have shown tremendous potential to make a difference. We must require people to access the help available. Let’s build a new strategy that addresses each core issue and ensures the safety of our community while respecting the dignity and struggle of those without homes.
The inadequate mental health services in Kitsap and lack of crisis response for mental health must change. The barrier to entry is too high for someone to be admitted. Quicker response times are needed when someone tries to access mental health services. Lastly, we must stay committed to accountability and transparency for our shared goals.
Q: Should the county take an active role in removing people without shelter from public spaces, particularly county parks and heritage parks?
A: Yes, the county has a responsibility to represent all citizens. Public parks need to be safe for individuals and families to enjoy – with no fear of harm. Parks are not the place for people to establish residency, as they are community assets.
The county must actively address homelessness by utilizing nationally recognized models, such as Housing First, that include transitional and permanent housing options alongside case management. We must also be willing to hold people accountable to accessing services. Enablement only exacerbates the problem.
As Kitsap’s Homeless Crisis Response and Housing Plan points out: “each year, Kitsap County residents’ tax dollars are spent caring for homeless people through our emergency services – including 911, emergency rooms and clinics, law enforcement, fire and rescue units, jails, detoxification programs, public health system, the judiciary system and more.”
Appropriate supportive services are proven to help many homeless individuals achieve self-sufficiency.
Q: What role should the county take in ensuring affordable housing is built in unincorporated Kitsap County, ranging from taking a hands-off approach to development to requiring developers to construct it?
A: We need housing that is affordable for the shipyard worker, nurses, first responders, and teachers. The everyday people of Kitsap cannot afford a home, which has to change. There are options for the county in providing affordable housing, especially by partnering with local developers, expanding the use of ADU’s, and introducing cottage housing. The county should not build the housing, but it can reduce fees to reduce developer costs and lower prices of homes.
Local builders are the backbone of the housing affordability. With more housing, prices will reduce. We lack 7,000 housing units today and Kitsap is still growing. We need homes for first time home buyers … apartments, condos, and townhomes. However, we also want to protect our environment and the beauty of the open spaces in Kitsap. A managed growth solution with vision for the future is required to balance this tension.
Q: What is your vision for parks and open space in Kitsap County, and how does that square with the resources available for the development of new parks and upkeep of the current ones?
A: Kitsap’s beautiful parks are one of the greatest assets in our community. They are a priority for many of us who call Kitsap home. They result in increased property values, tax revenues, tourism, and community pride. Investing in Kitsap parks will continue to pay dividends for decades to come.
Q: We have seen increasing attention to vehicle thefts and other crime issues. Do you support spending more on public safety to combat crime and, if so, where would the money come from?
A: Kitsap residents expect to be kept safe. They want to walk their neighborhoods, let their kids walk home from the bus stop without worry, and have their homes and cars protected. Although the commissioner doesn’t pass legislation, they are responsible to advocate on behalf of local law enforcement and citizens to make our community safe. Let’s bring additional training for law enforcement, advocacy to change poorly enacted laws by legislature, and investment into the right tools for officers to do their jobs. Law enforcement need to be supported in their work to protect and serve the public.
The county had a budget surplus last year. These funds could provide the training and resources needed. Combined with strong advocacy, our laws can change, crime reduced, and people kept safe.
Q: The lack of mental health treatment at all levels in society is burdening jails and stretching other county resources. In addition to supporting agencies and nonprofits through the county’s 1/10 of 1 percent sales tax, can anything else be done at the local level to ensure access to care?
Our community does not have the capacity currently to respond to the crisis we are facing.
Kitsap county doesn’t have the resources.
There aren’t beds for people who need monitoring.
Counselors and therapists have long wait lists.
Surgeon General named the mental health of teenagers a national crisis in America.
When providers don’t have time, resources, or staffing, the crisis only grows. The barrier to entry is high due to limited availability. As a foster parent and foster agency director, I repeatedly watched families fight to get help.
We need intentionality and a full community response. We must continue bringing together private partners and public entities as government cannot afford to solve this problem alone.
I’m thankful for the many professionals who care deeply about people in our community … from police officers and sheriff deputies, to case managers and mental health counselors, to community advocates.
Katie Walters
Age: 55
Current occupation: Executive Director Leadership Kitsap Foundation
Previous elected experience: First Time Candidate
Party: Democratic
Campaign contributions: $19,030
Q: What should the county do to address the growing number of people unable to afford shelter and living in county parks and on other public property?
A: Our neighbors experiencing homelessness and living in county parks and on other public property need the county’s immediate attention. The 2022 Point-in-Time Count estimated that there were 183 unsheltered and 393 individuals living in transitional housing or emergency shelters. To increase the number of sheltered individuals and to address those living outside in places not meant for human habitation, the county should invest in enhanced shelters and long-term housing solutions. Enhanced shelters would have low barrier entry, welcoming people with partners, pets, and possessions with wrap-around case management services. Long-term housing solutions such as the recently opened Pendleton Place would offer permanent supported housing to provide stability and increased opportunities for residents to engage in treatment, healthcare, and employment services. These are just a couple of things we can do until county, state, and federal partners can take steps to bring down the cost of housing to levels all can attain.
Q: Should the county take an active role in removing people without shelter from public spaces, particularly county parks and heritage parks?
A: It is the county’s obligation to compassionately address the needs of our community unhoused, offer shelter and services, and move them out of unsafe conditions. Under the Ninth Circuit ruling of Martin v. City of Boise, the court ruled that enforcement of ordinances that prohibit sleeping or camping on public property against homeless individuals is unconstitutional when those individuals do not have shelter space or a legal place to camp. The county should take an active role in sheltering individuals living in parks and public spaces. I support the county’s recently enacted action plan to leverage community partnerships and coordination with mental health, substance abuse, and employment services with the goal to support a system that makes homelessness rare, brief, and one-time. Kitsap County’s newly hired HEART (Homeless Encampment Action Response and Transitions) Coordinator is a good first step.
Q: What role should the county take in ensuring affordable housing is built in unincorporated Kitsap County, ranging from taking a hands-off approach to development to requiring developers to construct it?
A: As Kitsap plans for an additional 70K residents in the next 20 years, it is essential the county takes an active role in ensuring affordable housing is built in unincorporated Kitsap County to expand housing options for Kitsap families, our workforce, children, veterans, and seniors. Under the Growth Management Act, we are obligated to promote density in urban growth areas such as Silverdale and Bremerton and protect Kitsap’s rural spaces. Let’s look at our non-productive urban land for creative solutions to increase our housing inventory and opportunities for small businesses through private-public partnerships. The county should offer incentives for multi-family housing and up-zoning in areas near transit such as ferries and park & rides and encourage more “middle housing” or the development of accessory apartments or ADUs in single-family zones with tax incentives or front-of-line permitting.
Q: What is your vision for parks and open space in Kitsap County, and how does that square with the resources available for the development of new parks and upkeep of the current ones?
A: I support investing in, protecting, and expanding Kitsap’s valued natural, historical, and cultural resources. Our parks and open spaces support economic development, physical and mental well-being, as well as provide a sense of community and place. New parks can serve many purposes. In addition to recreation, parks can help to reduce flooding, prevent pollution, and restore fish habitats. Whispering Firs Stormwater Park in the Silverdale Ridgetop neighborhood is a great example of providing the community with a beautiful park and walking trail system while being designed to filter pollutants from over 100 acres of development upstream before reaching the Puget Sound. Kitsap is very fortunate to have hundreds of dedicated park stewards that annually save the county thousands of dollars in skilled labor. Volunteers help maintain, preserve, protect, restore, and improve over 6,000 acres of Kitsap County parkland. Kitsap has a thriving parks system thanks to these volunteers.
Q: We have seen increasing attention to vehicle thefts and other crime issues. Do you support spending more on public safety to combat crime and, if so, where would the money come from?
A: I support fully funding our sheriff’s office. I don’t believe it is a matter of spending more or finding more money. The sheriff’s office currently has 35 open positions. We need to recruit and retain officers to currently bring levels up to fully staff the department. I have been endorsed by both Sheriff Gese & retired Sheriff Simpson and maintain a great working relationship with our sheriff’s department. I serve on the Organizational Leadership & Resource Management Committee at Olympic College and am working with the office of workforce development to see if there is a way to bring a criminology program to Olympic College. The way to ensure public safety and combat crime is to fully staff the department by attracting more community members into the profession, training them locally, and being competitive with pay, benefits, and professional development opportunities to retain them to better protect and serve Kitsap.
Q: The lack of mental health treatment at all levels in society is burdening jails and stretching other county resources. In addition to supporting agencies and nonprofits through the county’s 1/10 of 1 percent sales tax, can anything else be done at the local level to ensure access to care?
A: Connecting at-risk individuals discharged from the hospital or jail immediately to services including access to housing, treatment, and employment would make a huge impact in reducing the burden on our jail and county resources. Those discharged without the support and a place to go end up back in encampments and unsafe living conditions and the cycle repeats itself. Employment is also tied to better mental health and housing stability. At the local level, we can also encourage employers to take an informed risk to hire second-chance employees. Mod Pizza is a great example of inclusive hiring practices proven not only to be good for the community but good for business.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Election 2022: Primary candidates for Kitsap County Commissioner, District 3
